LL-L "Language politics" 2002.02.14 (01) [E/Z]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 14.FEB.2002 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: "Marco Evenhuis" <evenhuis at zeelandnet.nl>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2002.02.13 (02) [E/Z]

Dear all,

Margot quoted from the 'Zeêbanket op 't Zeêlandnet':

> Noe is t'r een 'andtêkeniengactie gaende die a d'r vo moe zurge as ze in
Den
> 'Aegt wete dat de Zeêuwen 't beste mee ulder dialect vor è.
> As je die actie wil steune, kunne je surfe naè www.scez.nl. Daè lees je
d'r
> oôk aolles over. Geliek ondertêkene op internet kan daè oôk (de
> wegt daènaètoe afsniee oôk; surf naè http://www.scez.nl/forms/zeeuws.htm).

I think the Zeelandic text Margot quoted, deserves some explanation in
English. The text says that you can sign an on-line petition to convince the
Dutch secretary of state that Zeelandic/Zeeuws has the same right to be
recognised as a regional language as Limburgish and Low Saxon (that are both
recognised as official regional languages in the Netherlands).
The secretary of state was advised by the Taalunie not to recognize
Zeelandic. The Taalunie even finds that the recognition of Limburgish and
Low Saxon should never have happened.  The Taalunie however, does not base
its argumentation on the relevant European Charter for Minority and Regional
Languages. It made its own definition of language, regional language and
dialect. And we all know how tricky that is...
The Taalunie is afraid for the loss of speakers of Dutch and in that way
loss of prestige of Dutch within the EU. They argue that every official
speaker of Zeelandic means that Dutch looses one speaker. And we all know
that that can't be true, since almost all speakers of Zeelandic are
bilingual and perfectly fluent in Dutch.

The Province of Zeeland has organized a petition to get Zeeuws/Zeelandic
recognised after all. Over 7,000 people have allready signed. Yesterday it
came to my attention that the results of a yet unpublished survey by the
Province of Zeeland show that an overwhelming majority of all people in the
province (of whom about 55% speak Zeeuws) are in favour of an official
recognition as a regional language.

There are still a few days left to sign this petition. You can sign it at
http://www.scez.nl/forms/zeeuws.htm. You'll find more info about it on
www.scez.nl and on the 'Zeêuwse Taelsite', www.amaai.nl/zeeuws/index.html.

Best regards,

Marco Evenhuis

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language politics

Thanks for the explanation, Marco.

One question to you, Margot and whoever else knows about this: Would
signatures from non-Netherlands citizens be invalid?

Regards, and happy Valentine's Day!

Reinhard/Ron

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